Washington’s top five most ridiculous reactions to the Arizona shooting
Washington’s five most ridiculous reactions to the Arizona shooting.
Washington’s five most ridiculous reactions to the Arizona shooting.
Author: Robert Zimmerman
Washington’s top five most ridiculous reactions to the Arizona shooting
Which Democrats objected to the use of mass murder as a vehicle for disseminating propaganda?
Which Democrats objected to the use of mass murder as a vehicle for disseminating propaganda?
Sadly, not very many.
Which Democrats objected to the use of mass murder as a vehicle for disseminating propaganda?
Sadly, not very many.
Treasury Secretary Geithner says in letter to Congress US may go into default
The money is not there, and Treasury Secretary Geithner agrees. On January 6 he wrote a letter to Congress, stating that the US will go into default if the debt ceiling is not raised.
The money is not there, and Treasury Secretary Geithner agrees. On January 6 he wrote a letter to Congress, stating that the US will go into default if the debt ceiling is not raised.
NASA submits its Heavy Lift rocket proposal to Congress
NASA has submitted its Heavy Lift rocket proposal to Congress. However, NASA also noted bluntly that:
“Neither Reference Vehicle Design currently fits the projected budget profiles nor schedule goals outlined in the Authorization Act.”
In other words, they can’t build it for the money or in the timeframe they’ve been given by Congress.
Didn’t someone say this already? Several times?
NASA has submitted its Heavy Lift rocket proposal to Congress. However, NASA also noted bluntly that:
“Neither Reference Vehicle Design currently fits the projected budget profiles nor schedule goals outlined in the Authorization Act.”
In other words, they can’t build it for the money or in the timeframe they’ve been given by Congress.
Didn’t someone say this already? Several times?
The climax to The Roaring Twenties
An evening pause: The Roaring Twenties (1939). Humphrey Bogart and James Cagney were often cast as gangsters. However, their film personas’ were very different. Bogart’s characters generally showed a trace of weakness in his soul, while Cagney’s characters were rock solid no matter how much things fell apart. The finale of this classic Hollywood film, in which each man dies, illustrates this difference quite starkly.
NASA sets date for Discovery’s launch, Feb 24, confident tank problems are solved
NASA, confident that they have pinned down the cause of the cracks on the external tank, has set February 24 as the date for Discovery’s launch.
NASA, confident that they have pinned down the cause of the cracks on the external tank, has set February 24 as the date for Discovery’s launch.
Russia allocates $3.8 bln for space programs in 2011
The competition moves forward: Russia allocates $3.8 billion for its space programs in 2011.
The competition moves forward: Russia allocates $3.8 billion for its space programs in 2011.
Democrat Congressman who called for GOP Governor to be shot now pleads for civility
Once again, who should tone the rhetoric down? A former Democrat Congressman who called for a GOP Governor to be put against a wall and shot now pleads for civility.
Once again, who should tone the rhetoric down? A former Democrat Congressman who called for a GOP Governor to be put against a wall and shot now pleads for civility.
“What ever you do, don’t ‘shut up.'”
The touchdown that shook the Earth
The touchdown that shook the Earth.
The touchdown that shook the Earth.
New results from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey
From the second press conference at the AAS meeting today, results from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, which has been surveying the sky in incredible detail over the past eleven years:
- The largest digital color image of the heavens, covering one third of the sky, imaging a half a billion stars and galaxies. Despite looking the sky in wide-field view, the data also has incredible close-up detail. This has and will continue to provide astronomers a precise baseline reference for future research.
- A 3D reconstruction of the local galactic neighborhood, showing the three dimensional position of the visible galaxies within a billion light years. They plan to use the new Sloan color image above to further extend this 3D reconstruction out to seven billion light years.
- The largest map of the Milky Way’s outer regions, showing the streams of stars captured from other galaxies, absorbed in the past galactic mergers that formed the Milky Way.
All this data will be available for anyone to dig around in.
Hollywood’s repeated hateful attacks on the right
And they say the right should tone it down? A list of Hollywood’s many hateful attacks on the right.
And they say the right should tone it down? A list of Hollywood’s many hateful attacks on the right.
A partial list of incidents where the press blamed the right incorrectly
So, who should tone it down? A list of violent incidents which the press tried to blame the right, and was completely wrong.
So, who should tone it down? A list of violent incidents which the press tried to blame the right, and was completely wrong.
New discoveries by Planck
From the first press conference at the AAS meeting today, focused on recent discoveries from the European space telescope Planck:
- has identified 10,000 cold spots in Milky Way, all believed to be places where stars will soon begin to form. They range widely in size, and are from 30 to 10,000 light years from us.
- Planck’s all sky survey has found 189 giant galaxy clusters, 20 of which are newly discovered. “The largest gravitationally bound objects in the universe.” Very hot, filled with hot gas.
Media Pivots To Blame Gun Laws, Sloppy Reporting, Punditry Ensues
Is this toning down the rhetoric? Media pivots to blame gun laws, sloppy reporting ensues.
Is this toning down the rhetoric? Media pivots to blame gun laws, sloppy reporting ensues.
Eruptions from Krakatau have forced the evacuation of tens of thousands residents
The Krakatau volcano in Indonesia has become active, forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands residents.
The Krakatau volcano in Indonesia has become active, forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands residents.
Pure McCarthyism
A collection of death threats to Sarah Palin on Twitter
So we need to tone down the rhetoric, eh? How about this collection of death threats issued by Twitter users against Sarah Palin?
It appears that youtube removed the video. However, you can see all the screenshots of all the threats here, and the video has been reposted here.
So we need to tone down the rhetoric, eh? How about this collection of death threats issued by Twitter users against Sarah Palin?
It appears that youtube removed the video. However, you can see all the screenshots of all the threats here, and the video has been reposted here.
Russia’s plans in space for 2011
The bright outlook in 2011 for Russia’s space industry.
The bright outlook in 2011 for Russia’s space industry.
Nelson suggests NASA might not get third shuttle flight
Not so good news: Nelson suggests NASA might not get a third shuttle flight.
Not so good news: Nelson suggests NASA might not get a third shuttle flight.
NASA expands work to boost tank strength
Good news: NASA decides to do more to strengthen the shuttle’s external tank.
Good news: NASA decides to do more to strengthen the shuttle’s external tank.
“We’re better than this. We must do better.”
Fermi detects beams of antimatter produced above thunderstorms on Earth
More from the AAS meeting: The Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope has detected beams of antimatter produced above Earth’s thunderstorms. Key quote:
Scientists think the antimatter particles were formed in a terrestrial gamma-ray flash, a brief burst produced inside thunderstorms and shown to be associated with lightning. It is estimated that about 500 such flashes occur daily worldwide, but most go undetected. . . . The spacecraft was located immediately above a thunderstorm for most of the observed terrestrial gamma-ray flashes. But, in four cases, storms were far from Fermi. In addition, lightning-generated radio signals detected by a global monitoring network indicated the only lightning at the time was hundreds or more miles away. During one flash, which occurred on Dec. 14, 2009, Fermi was located over Egypt. But the active storm was in Zambia, some 4,500 kilometers (2,800 miles) to the south.
More from the AAS meeting: The Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope has detected beams of antimatter produced above Earth’s thunderstorms. Key quote:
Scientists think the antimatter particles were formed in a terrestrial gamma-ray flash, a brief burst produced inside thunderstorms and shown to be associated with lightning. It is estimated that about 500 such flashes occur daily worldwide, but most go undetected. . . . The spacecraft was located immediately above a thunderstorm for most of the observed terrestrial gamma-ray flashes. But, in four cases, storms were far from Fermi. In addition, lightning-generated radio signals detected by a global monitoring network indicated the only lightning at the time was hundreds or more miles away. During one flash, which occurred on Dec. 14, 2009, Fermi was located over Egypt. But the active storm was in Zambia, some 4,500 kilometers (2,800 miles) to the south.
My Blackberry is not working
Bigelow and his international customers
Who says there’s a lack of customers for private space? Clark Lindsay, with the help of Trent Waddington, provides a list of the six nations that have signed a deal with Bigelow Aerospace to buy space on the company’s privately-built space stations.
Who says there’s a lack of customers for private space? Clark Lindsay, with the help of Trent Waddington, provides a list of the six nations that have signed a deal with Bigelow Aerospace to buy space on the company’s privately-built space stations.
How the left blogosphere has toned down the rhetoric
This is how the left blogosphere has decided to tone down the rhetoric: The Left puts a bullseye on the right.
This is how the left blogosphere has decided to tone down the rhetoric: The Left puts a bullseye on the right.
Preliminary findings suggest that the Arkansas birds died from impact trauma
Preliminary findings from the USGS National Wildlife Health Center suggest that the mass bird die-off that occurred in Arkansas was from impact trauma. Key quote:
The State concluded that such trauma was probably a result of the birds being startled by loud noises on the night of Dec. 31, arousing them and causing them to fly into objects such as houses or trees. Scientists at the USGS NWHC performed necropsies—the animal version of an autopsy—on the birds and found internal hemorrhaging, while the pesticide tests they conducted were negative. Results from further laboratory tests are expected to be completed in 2-3 weeks.
Preliminary findings from the USGS National Wildlife Health Center suggest that the mass bird die-off that occurred in Arkansas was from impact trauma. Key quote:
The State concluded that such trauma was probably a result of the birds being startled by loud noises on the night of Dec. 31, arousing them and causing them to fly into objects such as houses or trees. Scientists at the USGS NWHC performed necropsies—the animal version of an autopsy—on the birds and found internal hemorrhaging, while the pesticide tests they conducted were negative. Results from further laboratory tests are expected to be completed in 2-3 weeks.
Hanny’s Voorwerp: evidence of a quasar that has turned off
Hanny’s Voorwerp: a strange object near a galaxy that has baffled astronomers is now seen as a light echo from when the galaxy’s central quasar was still active. More importantly, this is evidence that the quasar went quiescent sometime in the last 70,000 to 200,000 years. For a quasar to turn off so quickly is a surprise for astronomers.
Hanny’s Voorwerp: a strange object near a galaxy that has baffled astronomers is now seen as a light echo from when the galaxy’s central quasar was still active. More importantly, this is evidence that the quasar went quiescent sometime in the last 70,000 to 200,000 years. For a quasar to turn off so quickly is a surprise for astronomers.
Electric cars are wonderful — except no ones buying
What does this story really tell us? Electric cars are wonderful — except that the dealer hasn’t sold any.
What does this story really tell us? Electric cars are wonderful — except that the dealer hasn’t sold any.
Kepler’s most recent discovery: A rocky Earthlike planet!
Bumped. Scroll down for updates!
From the abstract of Geoffrey Marcy’s talk today at 6:30 pm (Eastern) at this week’s meeting in Seattle of the American Astronomical Society:
The NASA Kepler Mission has discovered over 700 candidate planets, with most having diameters less than 5 times that of Earth and some as small as that of Earth. One planet has a radius, mass, and density in a new domain having no counterpart in our Solar System, opening a new chapter in planetary science. [emphasis mine]
A press conference is scheduled for 11 am (Eastern). Stay tuned!
Update I. A NASA press release just made public says that Kepler has discovered a rocky planet only 1.4 times the size of the Earth.
Kepler 10b [is] a rocky planet with a mass 4.6 times that of Earth and with an average density of 8.8 grams per cubic centimeter — similar to that of an iron dumbbell.
The press conference is ongoing, but the Kepler results are still to come.
Update II. The star the planet orbits, Kepler 10, is similar to our Sun in mass and size, but older, about 8 billion years old, and is 560 light years away. Kepler 10 is also a relatively bright star in the Kepler field of view, about 11 magnitude.
The planet’s orbit itself is only 8.4 days long. Its density, 8.8 grams per cubic centimeter, is 8.8 times greater than Earth’s. This data, based on all planet models, also suggests that the planet should be a rocky planet like the Earth, though heavier and larger with a surface gravity twice that of Earth.
Since the planet orbits so close to its sun, it is a scorched world, very hot. The scientists expect that it has no atmosphere. It is also probably tidally locked, with one side always facing its Sun.
Update III: Geoffrey Marcy, one of the world’s premier exoplanet scientists, is now commenting on these Kepler results, saying he considers this discovery “among the most profound discoveries in human history.”
Update IV: In answer to a press question, the scientists speculated that the planet might have formed as a gas giant farther from the star, then migrated inward and had its gas atmosphere stripped away. No one knows yet if this is true however.
Studies of further transits might learn more about the planet, such as the temperatures between its two hemispheres. As the planet orbits the star and its illuminated side comes into view, they can see the change in temperature and thus track it. Right now they think the sunlight side could be as hot as 2500 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you want to watch the press conference for yourself, they will be posting the video here.